Hearts have melted at how a family celebrated their rescue dog’s first birthday with them.
Koba the Rottweiler was adopted by a new family less than a year ago, and it’s clear he’s been a huge hit, as they’ve since set up a TikTok account dedicated to his life with them.
The account, @kingkoba25, shows the family—who live in the United Kingdom—cuddling with the giant dog in bed, taking him for walks to the park, and exploring the countryside.
In one video, his new owners describe their pup as having “changed our lives”—and now a new video has seen Koba proving a hit with millions of online strangers.
Posted on November 11, it shows Koba marking his first birthday since coming into the care of his new owners. And they’ve gone all out for him, as multiple gift-wrapped presents litter the floor, Koba curiously sniffing at each one.
And though they encourage him to “rip” the wrapping paper off, the dog does it his own way: gently, and needing plenty of encouragement along the way.
Finally, after ripping the paper off bit by bit, revealing layers of cardboard and more layers underneath, he opens his first present: a new ball. And he knows it’s for him, as he picks it up in his mouth and runs happily away, his tail wagging, before lying down beside his owners with the ball between his paws.
His adoring owners captioned the video: “His first birthday with us. Adopting him was the best decision we’ve ever made.”
TikTok users loved it, watching the video more than 2 million times and awarding it more than 420,000 likes, as one wrote: “I’m sorry how the hell did he know how to unwrap it? He was so gentle?”
Another admitted: “I could watch dogs opening presents all day, I think this is my new favorite pastime.”
And one moved commenter wrote: “The smile I needed, thank you. Extra thank you for adopting such a handsome boy and giving him a loving home.”
“He is so handsome,” another said. “A proper rottie head!”
Rottweilers are known to make good guard dogs due to their great strength, courage and loyalty. However, they are also described as being hugely affectionate towards their owners, with a playful and often silly nature, making them popular as pets, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
In 2024, Rottweilers were eighth in the AKC’s annual list of the most popular dog breeds in America, behind the French bulldog, Labrador retriever, golden retriever, German shepherd dog, poodle, dachshund and beagle.
Newsweek has contacted @kingkoba25 for comment on this story.
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